OK, it looks like people want to do some more technique training. So ... we will be doing double-pole technique at 7:30PM.
The plan is:
10 to 15 minutes in the sunroom going over the fundamentals on the new double pole technique.
30 minutes outside doing double-pole drills
Open ski for anyone who wants to head out on the trails.
Videos on the new technique
Here are a few videos demonstraiting the new doble-pole technique. The videos are quite long, so I've noted the point in the video to watch.
To me, the new technique is like your body is a whip with your hips as the handle of the whip. The hips start the motion and the rest of your body (lats and arms) follows on a slight delay just like the end of a whip. The hips then are the key to the recovery phase as your hips move first up and forward and the rest of your body follows.
The first video is the 4 top long-distance double-pole skiers in the world. These guys win 90 km ski races by double-poling the entire way. The video is actually of them doing a race on a indoor double-pole machine
The race starts around the 1:30 point. Notice how the movement starts with a drop in their centre of gravity. The second skier (in black shirt with yellow on the sides) actually sits down quite a bit.
The start of the motion is very critical ... because most of a movement is just getting over the initial inertia. By starting the movement with a drop in your centre of gravity, you are using the free energy of gravity to overcome the inertia rather than your muscles.
The second video is of last year's Vasaloppet in Sweden ... often called the SuperBowl of skiing (By the way, the Vasaloppet of American Football is in 2 weeks between the Ravens and the 49ers :).
As an aside, at around minute 18, you get a feel for how massive this race is.
At minute 20, watch the skier on the right in white double pole up a long hill.
The final video is the end of the race that was featured in the pictures I showed in a previous post on double poling. The infamous fourth point is that the recovery of the motion is originated in the hips (your most powerful muscles). The two russian skiers really demonstrated the quick and forceful hip motion that starts the recovery and then the arms follow through and up into place to start the double-pole motion again.
Go to minute 50 to watch the impressive double-pole finish.
The new double-pole technique is still very new and as you may have seen on these pages ... controversial:)
The above is my interpretation of the new technique. All comments are welcome.
